Operator for toilet seat



y 1958 B. P. ZULKOSKI 2,842,779

OPERATOR FOR TOILET SEAT Filed June 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR;

5/1020 EZaJas/ ATTDRNUEYB July 15, 1958 B. P. ZULKOSKI 2,842,779

OPERATOR FOR TOILET SEAT Filed June 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /5' J 38 7 .76 3; [8 b 37 M a I, ('24 A INVENTOR. 311100 I? M0516! ATTDRN EYS tre t;

OPERATOR FOR TOILET SEAT Bruno P. Zulkoski, Weirton, W. Va.

Application June 26, 1957, Serial No. 668,050

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-251) whereby a toilet seat and cover can be automatically raised by means of a foot operated mechanism, the apparatus of the present invention being constructed so that the toilet seat and cover can be permitted to gradually return to lowered position as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat and toilet cover operator which is-extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part .of this application, and in which like numerals are usedto des ignate like parts throughout the same.

Figure l is an elevational view illustrating the toilet seat operator of the present invention, and showing the toilet seat and cover in raised position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the pouch and plate, and with portions broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 2 and showing the same parts as Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, showing the toilet seat and cover in closed or lowered position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the toilet seat and cover in lowered position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing the air reservoir or container as well as the clamp'and treadle and check valve.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on theline 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, but showing the gripping elements in open position.

Figure 10 is a view illustrating the air reservoir or container and clamp and treadle.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a conventional toiletwhich is provided with the usual seat 11 and cover 12 that are hingedly supported as at'13, Figure 1.

The present invention is directed to ameans whereby the seat 11 and cover 12 can be raised without the necessity of touchingthe seat and cover with the hands. The presentinvention includes a'container which is indicated generally by the numeral 14, and the container or pouch 14 is adapted'to be made of resilient or yieldable material such as rubber, plastic or the like. The container 14 includes a lower section 15 and an upper section 16, and the interior of the container 14 is hol- 2,342,??9 Patented July 15, 1958 low as for example as shown in Figure 7. A valve 17 is formed integral with the container 14 or secured thereto, whereby the container 14 can be inflated with air from a suitable pump or the like.

Extending from the container 14'is a pair of spaced apart tubes or conduits 18 and 19, Figure 6; Arranged in the tube 19 is a check valve 20, and the tubes 18 and 19 lead to a Y-connection or fitting 21. A conduit or hose 22 leads from the fitting 21 to an inflatable pouch which is indicated generally by the numeral 23. The pouch 23 is adapted to be made of a suitable yieldable resilient material such as rubber or plastic, and the pouch 23 includes sections 24 and 25, the pouch 23 being connected to the upper end of the conduit 22.

Arranged beneath the pouch 23 is a plate 26 which is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings 27 therein, whereby suitable securing elements such as the bolts '28 can be extended through the openings 27 and into engagement with the toilet. The plate 26 is provided with fingers or projecting portions 29 which are adapted to engage recessed portions 30 of the pouch 23 so as to help retain the pouch 23 connected to the plate 26. Also associated with the pouch 23 is a flap which is indicated generally by the numeral 31, and the flap 31 includes an end 32 which is secured to the plate 26 by means of suitable securingelements 33, Figure 2.

.The fiap 31 further includes a portion 34 which engages clamp whichv is indicated generally by the numeral 35, and the clamp 35 includes a coil portion 36 which is circumposed on the tube 1?. Sections 37 extend from the coil portion 36, and the sections 37 terminate in QPPOsedgripping portions 38 which are arranged in engagement with the flexible tube 18. The clamp 35 is further provided with circular portions 39 which define a treadle that is adapted to be engaged by the persons foot which is indicated by the numeral 40.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a means whereby a toilet seat such as the toilet seat 11 and cover 12 can be readily moved without the necessity of touching the seat and cover with the hands, and wherein the present invention is an improvementover my prior patent, No. 2,092,707. In use with the seat 11 and cover 12 in the closed position as shown in Figure 5 for example, when the user desires to move the seat 11 and cover 12 to open or raised position as shown in Figure l for example, it is only necessary to step on the pouch or container 14 with the foot such as thefoot .40 shownin Figure 1. This compresses the container 14 which is made of yieldable material so that the air-within the container .14 is formed out through the tube 19 and past-the check valve 20, and'thisgair then .passes through the fitting 21 and throughthe conduit 22 so that the pouch 23 is. inflated. As the pouch 23 becomes inflated, it will be seen that the seat 11 and cover 12 willbe moved to the raised-position, since the pouch 23 is interposed .or.-arranged between the toilet 10.and seat 11. When it 'is desired to cause the seat 11 and cover 12.to return to the down position as shown in Figure 5, it is only necessary to step on the upper treadle member 39 whereby the gripping elements 38 willmove .out of engagement with the yieldable tube 18 so that air will be able to return from the pouch 23 through the conduit 22, thenthrough fitting 21, and then through the conduit 18'back to the reservoir or container 14.whereby the pouch23 will move to collapsed position so that the seat ll and cover 12 can close bygravit-y.

In Figure 1 the toilet seat and cover are shown in raised position, while in Figure 5 these members are shown in lowered position. The tube 18 constitutes a return line to the air reservoir 14, and the tube 22 leads to the pouch 23 which is arranged under the toilet seat. As shown in Figure 1, foot pressure on the pouch 14 causes the pouch 14 to'contract and at the same time the pouch 23 will be expanded so that the seat and cover are raised. The container or pouch 14 is a sealed rubber pouch which is folded in the center so as to define the upper section 16 and lower section 15, and the ends thereof may be cemented together. The tube 19 leads from the lower portion of the pouch 14 and the check valve 20 may have a ball arranged therein as shown in Figure 6. The tube 18 is collapsible and is also secured to the pouch 14 and leads to the Y-connection 21. The spring clip 35 is adapted to be used for selectively keeping the tube 18 collapsed, as for example as shown in Figure 8. When foot pressure is applied to the portions 39 of the clip 35, the portions 38 will move away from the tube 18 so that the tube 18 can expand and move from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 9 whereby air will be able to return back to the reservior 14 and thereby gently lower the toilet seat 11. The valve 17 is in the form of a semi-spherical rubber ball through which an inflating needle can be pushed to fill the reservoir with air, Figure 7.

When the reservoir 14 has been blown up and is full of air, foot pressure on the reservoir forces air through the tube 19 and past the check valve 20, and then through the tubing which leads to the connection 21, and then through the tube 22 and this causes the toilet seat 11 to raise and stay in that position as shown in Figure 5. It is not all the way up and can be lowered simply by allowing tube 13 to open and the air to come back into the reservoir 14 by applying foot pressure to the portion 39 of the spring clip 35. The weight of the toilet seat forces the air back into the reservoir. If this spring clip is not operated, the seat will come down by itself after a few minutes because there will be a little airleaking back around the check valve 20.

Figure illustrates the side view of the air reservoir and tubing connected thereto, and the numeral 16 indicates the top part of the folded pouch 14, while the numeral indicates the bottom part. The numeral 18 designates the collapsible tubing which is adapted to be selectively pinched by the portions 38 of the clip 35. The rubber valve or ball 17 is adapted to have an inflating needle inserted therein when the reservoir is being inflated, and the reservoir can be inflated in the same manner as other rubber balls are inflated.

. In Figure 8 there is shown the tube such as the tube 18 which can be opened so that air can be returned to the reservoir. Foot pressure at the point 39 causes the clip to release pressure on the tube 18 so that the air can come back into the reservoir. Any suitable type of inflating needle can be used to inflate the reservoir, and

the pressure on the air reservoir is low so that a person can readily inflate the reservoir.

In certain views such as Figure 4, there is illustrated the method of inserting the pouch 23 under the toilet seat and with the seat down. The plate 26 which may be metal, plastic or the like, has the pouch 23 connected thereto as at 29, 30, Figure 2. The pouch 23 is a sealed rectangular pouch which has the tube 22 connected thereto, and the flap 31 is adapted to be made of heavy rubber or the like and this flap is adapted to be cemented to the pouch and attached to the plate 26 as at 33 with rivets. The flap 31 prevents the pouch 23 from being shoved forward when inflated, and it keeps the inflated pouch 23 in position. The toilet seat pivots at the point 13.

The various views or figures in the drawings, show the position of the parts when the toilet seat and cover are in raised or lowered position. The rubber band 41 which is cemented to both the top and bottom of the pouch 23,

4 is stretched when the pouch is inflated, and when the pouch is deflated, the band 41 draws the top and bottom together and the weight of the seat causes it to fold up into its original position.

Figure 2 illustrates a top view of the pouch 23 when the toilet seat is in a deflated or lowered position, and the plate 26 has the pouch 23 connected thereto as at 29 or 30. The openings 27 are the holes through which the bolts on the toilet seat go whereby the plate is held in position under the seat. By slipping the plate 26 between the seat and the toilet, the bolts holding the toilet seat also hold the plate in place. Since some seats do not have a pivot position as high and as far forward as the one illustrated, there is provided an alternative set of openings 27 to take care of toilet seats which have pivot points lower and further back.

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the inflated pouch under the toilet seat, and as previously stated the band 41 forces the pouch 23 to collapse in the proper manner so that it will fold up under the seat. The top of the pouch 23 has to slide a little on the toilet seat while it is being raised and therefore it may be coated with a suitable material to make this slide easier. The pouch under the toilet seat is the only part of the device which is held in place solidly and the air reservoir is not attached to the floor but will be held close to where it should be by a fairly stifl rubber tube to the pouch under the toilet seat. Both air pouches may be made of soft rubber or plastic, and the top of the air reservoir may be coated to prevent damage to the rubber. The small amount of metal used in the device would insure that it would not corrode excessively and whereby it can be easily cleaned. A small excess of air in the system will cause the lowered toilet seat to build up a slight pressure which will make lifting it that much easier.

While I have shown a preferred form of my invention, I reserve all rights to such modifications as properly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a toilet having a seat and a cover, of a means for operating said seat and cover, said means comprising a yieldable container adapted to be engaged by a persons foot, first and second spaced apart tubes extending from said container, a Y-connection arranged in engagement with said first and second tubes, a check valve arranged in said first tube, a conduit having one end connected to said Y-connection, an expansible pouch arranged beneath the toilet seat and connected to the other end of said conduit, a plate secured to said toilet and having said pouch arranged in engagement therewith, a yieldable flap having an end secured to said plate and a portion of said flap being arranged in engagement with said pouch, a clamp arranged in engagement with said first and second tubes, a valve connected to said container for use in inflating said container, said clamp including a coil portion circumposed on said first tube, a pair of gripping portions spaced from said coil portion and arranged in engagement with References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 292,581 Garsed Jan. 29, 1884 1,459,317 Birdsall June 19, 1923 1,508,418 Stewart Sept. 16, 1924 2,092,707 Zulkoski Sept. 7, 1937 

